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On Nov. 29-30, 2000, the Agency for Toxic Substance
and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducted an initial site visit of the Naval Station
Norfolk St. Juliens Creek Annex, located in the City of Chesapeake, Virginia.
The purpose of the visit was to begin collecting information necessary to conduct
a public health assessment, determine if immediate ATSDR public health actions
were needed, and prioritize the site for future public health activities. The
purpose of this document is to summarize the results of the site visit and identify
the issues that ATSDR determined need additional data, information, or followup
activities.

During the visit we observed the designated Installation
Restoration (IR) sites and other areas where hazardous substances have been
released to the environment, briefly reviewed available site-specific information,
and met with a few members of the local community to identify potential public
health concerns. As a result of the site tour, discussions with community members,
and a preliminary review of the data currently available, we identified three
issues we will address during our followup. As a result of the analysis
performed to date, ATSDR believes that there are no contaminated sites or public
health issues associated with the St Juliens Creek Annex that present an imminent
public health hazard. Much of this assessment is based on the current land
use of the annex and analysis of information associated with the identified
sites, changes to the land use or identification of new sites or information
will necessitate a review of this analysis.

As a result of our evaluation to date, we have
identified three issues that are associated either with the annex, or the area
or community neighboring the annex. All three of the issues will be described
in this report although the analysis of the last issues will be accomplished
as a part of another on going public health assessments in this area. The issues
are identified below and will be described in more detail in the Discussion section of this report.

1. Potential for human exposure and health
effects from consuming seafood caught in this area of the Elizabeth River and
St Juliens Creek, and potentially impacted by contaminants released from the
annex.

St Juliens Creek Annex is one of many
government and private facilities along this industrial corridor with the potential
to release contaminants into the environment. Our goal is not to identify the
source of seafood contamination, but to evaluate the potential human exposure
and health effects.

To accomplish this evaluation, we request
that the Navy provide results of shellfish and finfish sampled from the creeks
and rivers surrounding the annex. In addition, we will also be requesting information
from other state, academic, and private organizations.

2. Potential
for future human exposure and health effects from unexploded munitions and explosive
material near the wharf and industrial areas.

To evaluate this potential exposure, we request
that the Navy 1) provide as much information as possible concerning the operational
procedures used to load, test, store, and demil munitions; 2) provide results
of environmental sampling performed after remediation of wharf area sediments;
3) identify the planned land use strategy for the annex; and 4) identify how
future land use decisions will be made to ensure the safety of land users.

3. Data reported in The Virginia Childhood
Lead Poisoning Estimation Model: Field Test Report (1996) suggests that approximately
21% of the children age 6 years and younger, living in the area immediately
north of the annex, have elevated blood lead concentrations (in excess of 10
µg/dl). The source of lead exposure for the community is not yet known.

Elevated blood lead levels in young
children is a matter of concern for many areas of this region and is currently
being addressed by the Virginia Department of Health. To assist the state, ATSDR
will look at the other possible environmental contributions from the nearby
Navy facilities and report that in the public health assessment for the Norfolk
Naval Shipyard. We will include the area around the St. Juliens Creeek Annex
in that evaluation. Our goal is to identify how young children in this area
may come into contact with lead in sufficient quantities to result in elevated
blood lead levels.

BACKGROUND

Location

The St Juliens
Creek Annex facility is located in the City of Chesapeake, VA. It's southern
boundaries are the St Juliens Creek on the southwest and the Southern Branch
of the Elizabeth River on the southeast. The facility consists of 490 acres,
including 407 acres of land, 14 acres of marsh, and 69 acres of surface water.
There are no ponds on the annex, but approximately half of the boundary is river
shoreline. In addition, Blows Creek meanders from the northern boundary, through
the upper portion of the annex, and empties on the northeastern boundary at
the Elizabeth River.

North of the annex are residential developments
and a road bed of the Norfolk and Western Railroad. Norfolk Naval Shipyard is
located less than one mile to the north. Residential developments also exist
on the western side of the annex. Based on a review of maps from MapQuest
(figures 1 and 2), it appears that there are approximately eight schools or
childcare facilities within one mile of the northern and western boundaries
of the annex. Several are within a half-mile of the boundary. Although not described
well in the historical documents reviewed, an industrial waste pond exists to
the east of the northern boundary and sewage disposal
and industrial waste ponds exist to the south of the western boundary (Navy,
2000). There are three other NPL sites within a few miles of the annex: Norfolk
Naval Shipyard, Atlantic Wood Industries, and Abex Corp. There are approximately
six other NPL sites within 20 miles of the annex; the majority of these are
Department of Defense (DOD) sites.

The Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River flows
through a highly industrialized area, past oil storage and cresol facilities,
and fertilizer plants. This section of the river is part of the intracoastal
waterway and is used year-round by naval and commercial craft. Recreational
boaters frequent the area during the summer months. Historical releases of industrial
materials have contributed to environmental contamination in this area. It is
not possible, nor is it the goal of ATSDR, to identify the source(s) of environmental
contaminants in the river. However the result of the contamination is that these
waters are designated by the Commonwealth of Virginia as Class IIB, suitable
for bathing and fishing, but taking shellfish is prohibited (Navy, 2000).

History

The annex
began operations as a naval facility in 1849, as an ordnance and materials storage
facility. In 1898 the facility was equipped to assemble and break down selected
types of munitions. Munition assembly continued through WWI. In peacetime, the
annex supplied ammunition to the fleet. During WWII the annex mission included
loading, assembling, issuing and receiving naval gun ammunition; it was also
the principal experimental and test loading facility for new ammunition types.
Following WWII, ordnance loading/supply operations continued, specific operations
were adjusted to meet Navy training/operation needs through the Korean War and
operations in southeast Asia. Ordnance operations were terminated in the 1970s.
Specific operations from the 1970s on, were not described in the historical
documents reviewed. It is assumed that the annex was used primarily for light
industry and storage (Navy, 2000).

The peak manning level of the annex occurred during
WWII with a workforce of approximately 5,200 (approximately 4,000 civilians).
At this time the annex loaded, assembled, issued and received vast quantities
of all types of naval gun ammunition, from 20MM to sixteen inch, except the
40MM. Shipments to the fleet alone averaged 12,500 tons a month. During the
Korean War, the annex loaded and assembled gun ammunition (mainly three and
five inch). At this time the civilian workforce was approximately 1,464, but
the shipment quantity to the fleet was not identified (Navy, 1965). It is expected
that the shipment quantity would have been significantly higher than during
peace time but less than WWII. The Navy's Information Manual for St Juliens
Creek (1965) states that process changes in the production planning and control,
increased production efficiency by more than 200% between 1955 and 1960. It
appears that shipping and receiving of ammunition and explosive materials during
both war and peace time was by ship and performed at the annex's wharf area.

Current Mission

Currently the primary mission is to provide a
radar testing range, which covers 35 acres of the facility. In addition the
annex is also used for administrative offices, light industrial shops and storage
facilities (Navy, 2000).

Waste Generating Activities

Operations that may have released hazardous materials
include: metal plating, degreasing, painting, operation of hydraulic equipment,
vehicles and locomotives, pest control, maintenance of lead-acid batteries,
and printing. Trash and garbage generated on-base, were disposed in dumps on
the annex along with waste ordnance materials (USEPA, 2000). As a result of
past disposal practices, several landfills and disposal areas have been identified
as potential pollution sources by the EPA and Navy (Navy, 2000).

Wastes that have been identified in the soil and
ground water at various sites include: DDT and other pesticides, polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), explosive materials (primarily TNT by products),
solvents (primarily acetone, methylene chloride, and TCE), and some metals and
inorganics (USEPA, 2000).

The EPA identified 16 potential sources of contamination.
Nine of these potential sources were evaluated by EPA using the Hazard Ranking
System (HRS). The annex was added to the NPL on July 26, 2000. The
basis for the NPL listing was the Surface Water Overland /Flood Migration Component,
specifically the Human Food Chain and Environmental Threat Scores. The other
sites were not included in the evaluation due to insufficient information or
because the results would not affect the HRS score (USEPA, 2000).

The Navy has been investigating the environmental
conditions at the annex using the Installation Restoration Program since the
1980s. As a result of previous studies, the Navy identified 21 Installation
Restoration (IR) sites and 12 EPA Photographic Interpretation Center (EPIC)
Study Areas of Concern (EPIC AOCs). Four of the IR stes were cleaned up in the
early 1990s by soil excavation and off-site disposal. The Navy, EPA, and Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) reached a consensus of 'No Further
Action' for those sites. Nine of the EPIC AOCs have been proposed for 'no further
action', the other three will be investigated further. Table 1 lists each of
the IR sites with the Navy and EPA identification. Table 2 lists all 12 of the
original EPIC AOCs and identifies the three sites that the Navy believes warrant
additional study. Figure 3 is a map showing the location of each site on the
annex.

DISCUSSION

The public health assessment will evaluate the
potential for a contaminated area to adversely affect public health by considering
the concentration of the contaminant in the environmental media, the pathway
of human exposure to the contaminant, and the toxicology of the contaminant.
We will consider each of the identified contaminated sites and areas of concern
on the annex, and the environmental health related questions and concerns raised
by the site personnel, local community, and our own environmental health assessors.

There are three community concerns that have been
identified for this area: 1) the potential human health effects from consumption
of local seafood; 2) potential for individuals to come into contact with unexploded
munitions, especially in the sediments around the wharf; and 3) the potential
for children to have elevated blood lead levels. While it is not our primary
goal to identify the initial source of contamination, we believe it is necessary
to ensure that relevant exposure pathways are evaluated to identify reasonable
exposure scenarios and potential health effects. These analyses will be considered
as a part of the St Juliens Creek Annex public health assessment in order to
address the public health concerns and issues relevant to the community in the
vicinity of the annex.

Proper evaluation of each contaminated site and
especially the three issues may require site-specific environmental sampling
to identify the chemical concentrations the public would be exposed to in the
environmental media. In order to gather the background information and sampling
data necessary for the public health assessment, we request the assistance of
many organizations including: the Navy, Environmental Protection Agency, Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Department of Health, Virginia
Institute of Marine Science, Elizabeth River Project, and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration.

The following information is provided to describe
the potential for human exposure to environmental contaminants on the annex
property or the neighboring property or shoreline for each of the three issues.
Following each summary, is a brief description of the data and information necessary
to evaluate the issue.

1. Potential for human exposure and
health effects from consuming seafood caught in this area of the Elizabeth River
and St Juliens Creek, and potentially impacted by existing environmental contaminants.

Several federal
government and private industrial NPL sites are located within this general
area along the Elizabeth River. As a result, a common community concern for
this general area questions the safety of eating locally caught seafood. Given
the low elevation of the annex, numerous landfills located relatively close
to the river banks, potential for ground water contamination, and potential
for contaminant transport in the ground water and surface water to the river,
there is the potential for shellfish and finfish contamination in the water
around the annex. Although the potential exists for contaminants from St Juliens
Creek Annex to impact the quality of local seafood, it is not possible, and
it is not our goal, to identify where/how seafood species come into contact
with environmental contaminants. Our goal is to evaluate the potential for human
exposure to environmental contaminants via seafood consumption, and evaluate
the potential health effects from consuming finfish and shellfish caught in
this general area.

We understand that in the area around St Juliens
Creek Annex, taking shellfish is prohibited by the Commonwealth of Virginia
due to the Class IIB designation of the waterway. According to the Virginia
Department of Environment Quality, shellfish restrictions apply to both molluscans
and crustaceans (i.e., crab, shrimp, mussels, and oysters). However, based
on discussions with local community members and observation, it appears that
shellfish harvesting does occur, particularly crabs. Local community members
report that they believe the restrictions apply only to molluscs. In addition,
there are no finfish advisories for this area and fishing is permitted in Class
IIB waters.

Our objective is to understand the capture and
consumption patterns, and the potential exposure of recreational and subsistence
fishers, and consumers of local seafood to contaminants of concern. Our goal
is to understand how to provide adequate guidance to prevent exposures to concentrations
of chemicals in the local seafood that could cause adverse health effects. To
accomplish this we will compare the available data describing the concentration
of contaminants in shellfish and finfish samples captured in this area to shellfish
and finfish advisories published by state and local authorities, and local fishing
patterns.

Because a variety of fishing locations and pollution
sources exist in this general area, we will evaluate the safety of eating finfish
and shellfish caught in, and around, the annex as a part of the evaluation of
the safety of consuming seafood caught in this general area. To accomplish this
evaluation, we request that the Navy provide results of shellfish and finfish
sampled from the creeks, and rivers surrounding the annex. In addition, we will
also be requesting information from other state, academic, and private organizations.

2. Potential for future human exposure
and health effects from unexploded munitions and explosive material near the
wharf and industrial areas.

It appears that, to date, no unexploded munitions
have been found on St Juliens Creek Annex although magnetic anomalies have been
detected in the sediments near the wharf. Some explosive materials (TNT and
TNT by-products) have been identified in some of the ground water samples, however
only one of the soil samples analyzed to date contained a detectable concentration
of a TNT by-product. Our primary concern is to prevent adverse human health
effects to the local community from unexploded ordnance and explosive materials.
Under the current land use conditions, the local community is not expected to
come into contact with these materials that may be located on the annex proper.
However there could be the potential for local community contact with materials
that exist in the river sediments.

Currently the annex is used only by the Navy and
there are no housing facilities on the annex. Under this type of land use, the
local community is not expected to be exposed to unexploded munitions or explosive
materials on the annex property. However, it will be important to analyze this
potential impact when there is a change to the expected land use strategy for
the annex. We understand that it will not be possible to guarantee that the
entire area is free of unexploded munitions or explosive materials. However,
it will be possible to evaluate the potential for community contact and adverse
human health effects as a function of expected land use, historical operational
procedures, and measured concentrations of explosive materials in environmental
media the community would be in contact with. The land use strategy will be
used to identify the appropriate exposure-based environmental sampling criteria
and the human exposure routes required for the public health assessment. Under
the current land use conditions, there is no immenent public health hazard associated
with the annex land areas and a complete evaluation will be accomplished with
the public health assessment assuming that the current land use conditions remain
in effect for the foreseeable future. A change in the actual or planned land
use will require a re-evaluation of this issue.

Unexploded ordnance and explosive materials may
exist in the sediments near the wharf area. In addition, some of this material
could have been carried by currents into other parts of the river system. Because
of the uncertainty of the amounts and types of materials that may have been
deposited into the wharf area sediments by materials falling off the wharf or
discharges to the river, this issue is both more likely to impact the local
community and be more difficult to evaluate than for explosive related materials
that may be on the annex land property. While there does not appear to be an
immenent public health hazard to the local community, fishers, or boater in
this area, we believe that this evaluation should be addressed as soon as sufficient
information is available.

For both the annex land and wharf areas, our primary
concern is that individuals may inadvertently come into contact with unexploded
munitions or explosive materials. To appropriately evaluate this potential,
we will need to better understand the shell loading operational procedures and
the storage practices, and methods used to load munitions onto ships. Specifically,
what type of 'quality control testing' was performed on the loaded shells to
ensure that they had been properly loaded? Were any of the shells exploded to
ensure that they would fire appropriately in the field? How were the shells
that failed quality control testing disposed of? Are there any records indicating
if, when, and how much fell from the wharf? If shells fell into the river sediment
during shipping operations at the wharf, could the shells migrate beyond the
annex boundaries, carried with the sediment transported by river and tidal currents?

To evaluate this potential exposure, we request
that the Navy 1) provide as much information as possible concerning the operational
procedures used to load/test/store/transport/demil munitions; 2) provide results
of environmental sampling performed before and after remediation of wharf area
sediments; 3) identify the planned land use strategy for the annex land and
wharf areas; and 4) identify how future land use decisions will be made to ensure
the safety of the land users with respect to potential unexploded munitions
and explosive materials.

3. Data reported in The Virginia Childhood
Lead Poisoning Estimation Model: Field Test Report (1996) suggests that approximately
21% of the children ages 6 years and younger, living in the area immediately
north of the annex, have elevated blood lead concentrations (in excess of 10
µg/dl). The source of lead exposure for the community is not yet known.

As a part of The Virginia Childhood Lead Poisoning
Estimation Model: Field Test Report (1996), 18% of the children ages 6 years
and younger, living in the residential neighborhood immediately north of the
annex, between route 17 and Victory Blvd (Census tract number 517402123.00),
were tested to measure their blood lead levels. The results indicate that 21%
of the children living in that area have blood lead levels in excess of 10 µg/dl.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers children to have
elevated blood lead levels if the lead concentration in their blood is higher
than 10 µg/dl (ATSDR, July 1990).

Elevated blood lead levels have been associated
with impaired growth, hearing acuity, neuro-behavioral development, and intelligence.
Higher levels, can damage a child's central nervous system, kidneys, and reproductive
system (www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/factsheets/leadfcts.htm).
Data from the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
conducted by CDC shows that the percentage of children (ages 1 through 5 years)
in the US with elevated blood lead levels dropped from 88.2% in the late 1970s
to 4.4% in the early 1990s. For these reasons it is important to understand
how approximately 21% of the children in the local community may be exposed
to lead in sufficient amounts to cause elevated blood lead levels.

Elevated blood lead levels in young children
is a matter of concern for many areas of this region and is currently being
addressed by the Virginia Department of Health in accordance with guidelines
developed by CDC. To assist the state, ATSDR will look at the other possible
environmental contributions from the nearby Navy facilities. Our goal is to
identify how young children in this area may come into contact with lead in
sufficient quantities to result in elevated blood lead levels. The results of
our analysis will be reported in the public health assessment for the Norfolk
Naval Shipyard (NNSY). We will include the area around St Juliens Creek Annex
into that evaluation; therefore, no specific information from the annex is requested
at this time.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT PROCESS

ATSDR believes that community involvement is
invaluable and would appreciate community assistance. RAB members and other
members of the community can assist by identifying community health concerns.
Community members can also assist by identifying stakeholders that may have
information such as effectiveness of the land use restrictions and fishing bans,
frequency and consumption of seafood, and seafood sampling data. ATSDR will
review RAB minutes, and Navy and EPA documents relevant to the St Juliens Creek
Annex.

RAB members and others may also contact ATSDR toll-free and leave a voice message
at 1-888-42 ATSDR (extension) 6055. We request that you refer to "St
Juliens Creek Annex" and leave your name and a return phone number.